According to the lawsuit, the police grabbed the then 66-year-old by her hair, and threw her to the ground resulting in a torn rotator cuff. area to pull over, according to her lawsuit filed in federal court on Wednesday. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Read More: NC governor calls for release of bodycam video in Andrew Brown killing. Nationwide Stephanie Bottom, a 68-year old Black woman from Raleigh, North Carolina, has filed a lawsuit claiming that police officers used excessive force on her during a traffic stop two years ago that caused her severe injuries. 8. 2001-2023 Dante Lee International | All Rights Reserved. Use the links below to access additional information about this case on the US Court's PACER system. Officers had their sirens on for at least 10 minutes, according to body camera footage that is cited in the lawsuit and was reviewed by CNN. The lawsuit filed Wednesday by Stephanie Bottom of Atlanta says she posed no threat to officers from the Salisbury Police Department and the Rowan County She appeared in court for the traffic violations, pleaded responsible to failure to heed blue lights, and the other charges against her were dismissed, according to the lawsuit. Stephanie Bottom was admittedly going 10 miles over the speed limit on May 30, 2019 in North Carolina. Stephanie Workman, Age 52 Remove Record. Her requests for medical assistance were ignored even though she said she was in pain. Do not sell or share my personal information. The officers pulled Bottoms arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. 'Within five seconds of arriving at her drivers side door with guns drawn, Defendants Benfield and Barkalow grabbed Plaintiff by her arm and hair and threw her from her Toyota Sequoia to the ground,' the lawsuit says. I wasn't running. Bottom insists to the white officers that she was unaware she was being told to pull over due to loud music in her car. Asheville (NC) (2) Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill (NC) (13) Clarendon, NC (1) A subscription to PACER is required. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunts funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes told CNN on Tuesday. He took a job with federal law enforcement in February 2020, according to Linda McElroy, a spokesperson for the city of Salisbury. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much The force applied by the officers caused Bottom's "shoulder to 'pop,' tearing her rotator cuff and causing severe injury," according to the lawsuit. It also claims that the officers congratulated one other for their work and an officer identified in the lawsuit as Barkalow is heard bragging about grabbing a "handful of dreads," saying "at that point she earned it.". #3 in North Carolina. Bottom, who is Black, contended in the lawsuit that the officers from the Salisbury Police Department and Rowan County Sheriffs office used excessive force, in Video footage captured by body cameras worn by the officers prove Bottoms claims of physical harm. The suit drew coverage from the Washington Post. Please go to our website under Attorney Information for a list of mediators which must be served on all parties. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. Bottom then tells the officers she has a shoulder injury and is in pain while handcuffed, leading her to ask that the cuffs be removed. Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunt's funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes told CNN on Tuesday. Millions of Americans are being kept in the dark about toxic trains rumbling through their neighborhoods as railroad companies refuse to disclose which carry hazardous loads. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group, Have a good Sunday!: Elon Musk posts Tweet hours after sacking 200 MORE Twitter staff slashing work force to less than 2000 as top lieutenant who led the blue tick relaunch is among casualties, 'Why isn't he being prosecuted?' Its unclear how close police were to Bottoms vehicle before she pulled over, as the footage only shows the inside of the police vehicle and the sky. The just-released body cam video Get a complete background report of Stephanie Austin at LocatePeople with phone, address, email, criminal, court and arrest records. She appeared in court for the traffic violations, pleaded responsible to failure to heed blue lights, and the other charges against her were dismissed, according to the lawsuit. Another officer involved in the traffic stop, only identified as Officer Smith, pulled ahead of Bottom and deployed spike strips that immediately immobilized her vehicle, the lawsuit says. In the footage, Bottom is seen screaming as Benfield, Barkalow, and Salisbury Police Officer Adam Bouk force her to lay face down on the ground, according to the lawsuit. Officers with the Rowan County Sheriff's Office and the Salisbury Police Department were attempting to conduct a traffic stop on Bottom, alleging she was driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone, according to the suit. North Carolina Central Eagles (16-11, 9-4 MEAC) at South Carolina State Bulldogs (5-24, 2-11 MEAC) Orangeburg, South Carolina; Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST BOTTOM LINE: North Carolina Central faces the Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department must hold the individuals in the video accountable. Stephanie Bottom was admittedly going 10 miles over the speed limit on May 30, 2019 in North Carolina. Some people are upset at the way iPhones charge. The lawsuit alleges that earlier in the stop, Barkalow also said Bottom was a'f*****g retard' and a 'douche bag.'. Web22 records for Stephanie Bottoms. All Rights Reserved. Download theGrio today! Emancipate NC In a statement to the media, the Salisbury Police Department said it was unable to comment on pending litigation but that it strives "for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where (police) may suspect criminal activity.". Instead, she was handcuffed and the officers searched her car and purse without consent, warrant, or probable cause, which violated Bottoms Fourth Amendment rights, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit names Benfield and Barkalow as the two officers who did this. Link Copied! The then-66-year-old librarian from Fulton County, Georgia, was listening to music and didnt initially see the flashing blue lights coming from the police vehicle behind her, Holmes said. Medicaid to cut 14 MILLION Americans from health coverage as states crack down on eligibility for the first time in three years after numbers soared during COVID - so are you at risk? As she was handcuffed on the side of the road, the officers searched her vehicle and purse without her consent, a warrant, or probable cause which violated Bottom's Fourth Amendment rights, the lawsuit says. 25-Year-Old Mom Gives Birth to 9 Babies at the Same Time, 16-Year Old Headed to College, Chooses HBCU Over Yale and Harvard, Single Black Dad Says He Will Encourage His Son to Pursue Entrepreneurship Instead of College, 28-Year-Old Makes History as the Third Black Female Captain For PSA Airlines, 67-Year-Old Black Woman Makes History, Finally Earns High School Diploma, Black Mom Now Wows Fans, Officially as Pop Star Vallyre, Black Poet Pens His 4th Book, Perspective, Thats Sure to Leave Readers Wanting More, Civil Rights Activist Essie Berry Calls Out CVS Pharmacy For Sexual Harassment and Assault, 8-Year-Old Partners With Her Grandmother to Launch Black-Owned Skincare Brand for Kids, School Janitor of 23 Years Changes Careers, Becomes a Teacher, 78-Year Old Great-Grandmother Graduates From College, First Black Male to Become a Full Professor at the Univ. Stephanie Bottom was driving on May 30, 2019, along Interstate 85 from Georgia to North Carolina to attend her great aunt's funeral, her attorney Scott Holmes Salisbury city officials declined to comment on Bottoms lawsuit, but told the outlet that its police department always strives for positive interactions with residents and visitors, including those suspected of criminal activity. Instead of issuing a ticket, two of the officers grabbed Bottom by her arm and her hair and threw her out of the vehicle and onto the ground. Emancipate NC was founded on the knowledge that mass incarceration and structural racism harm all of us. In a statement to the media, the Salisbury Police Department said it was unable to comment on pending litigation but that it strives for positive interactions with our residents and visitors, including in cases where (police) may suspect criminal activity.. Officers Barkalow and Adam Bouk and Deputy Mark Benfield then quickly approached with their guns drawn. The lawsuit seeks monetary damages for the alleged use of excessive force and unlawful search of the plaintiffs purse and vehicle. An officer tells her she refused to stop for law enforcement. Bottom said all of the arresting officers were white. High Performing in Stroke. "Why are you doing this to me? Bottom is heard telling officers. Bottom had surgery to repair the tear, but she still cannot raise her left arm above her head. And after that, she claims, it got even worse. Stephanie Love, Age 45 Remove Record. 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(WBTV) - The City of Salisbury has responded to a lawsuit filed on Wednesday in which a then 66-year-old woman says she was treated violently The grandmother of five says she was on her way to her aunts funeral when she was pulled over for allegedlygoing 80 mph in a 70 mph zone. The fourth officer named in the lawsuit is Rowan County Sheriff Kevin Auten. North Carolina the only state allowing unnecessary killing of sea turtles (3) 'Pagan' bike gang leader in N. Carolina sentenced to prison (3) Deputy cleared in shooting death of Gloucester woman (3) The police department in Salisbury said they would not comment when contacted by Inside Edition. WebBlack librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. Stephanie Bottom, of Atlanta, Georgia, was driving to the funeral of her great aunt in May 2019 when she was seen by police allegedly going 80mph in a 70mph Rowan County Sheriffs Office and Salisbury Police Department must hold the individuals in the video accountable. San Francisco's woke public defender is slammed for condemning plans to deport opioid pushers, Do you wish you were taller? The officers are then seen pinning both of her arms behind her back to put handcuffs on Bottom. She also admits to going 10 miles over the speed limit, which was 70mph, meaning she was driving around 80mph. [Law enforcements] decision ultimately to release her to medical care, instead of keeping her in police custody, demonstrates that he initial decision to take her into custody was unreasonable.. Find Stephanie Bottoms's phone number, address, and email on Spokeo, the leading online directory for contact information. In a federal lawsuit, a 68-year-old Black librarian is accusing North Carolina law enforcement officers of using excessive force against her during a traffic stop. PO Box 309 'Breaking Bad' star Bryan Cranston says Trump's Make America Great Again slogan is RACIST and asks 'when was it ever great for the African American? One of the officers was heard bragging about grabbing a handful of dreads, saying at that point she earned it on body camera footage. Bottom pleaded guilty to failing to heed blue lights. Bottom, now 68, said she was driving to Raleigh for a funeral in May 2019 when she was pulled over for suspected speeding and failing to heed blue lights, the According to WBTV, community members want more from the Salisbury Police and Rowan Sheriff. It is an absolute pleasure to know her and have worked with her.. A Black woman was allegedly grabbed by the hair and pulled out of her SUV by North Carolina police during a traffic stop in 2019 after she was driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and failed to stop for law enforcement, according to a civil lawsuit filed last week. After allegedly pulling her out of her car by her hair, Bottom was left on the ground. According to the Charlotte Observer, video shows an officer telling Bottom that EMS would look at her approximately 11 minutes after the stop, after which she was taken to a local hospital. When Bottom didn't immediately pull over, one of the officers making the traffic stop identified in the lawsuit as Salisbury Police Officer Devin Barkalow made statements recorded by his body camera that Bottom was a "f**king retard" and a "douche bag," according to the body camera footage. The officers pulled Bottom's arms behind her back while she shrieked in pain as sirens blared in the background, according to the footage. Get notified of updates. Eventually, Bottom received medical attention at the scene and was taken to the hospital, the lawsuit says. A Black woman was allegedly grabbed by the hair and pulled out of her SUV by North Carolina police during a traffic stop in 2019 after she was driving 10 miles per hour over the speed limit and failed to stop for law enforcement, according to a civil lawsuit filed last week. When she was asked to stand but couldnt because of the pain in her shoulder, officers forcefully picked her up by her arms, inflicting more injury to her shoulder. Bottom was charged with speeding and resisting arrest. Stephanie Bottom (AP) RALEIGH, N.C. A federal lawsuit filed by a Georgia librarian says white officers used excessive force on the Black woman during a A 68-year-old Black woman has filed a federal lawsuit after a violent interaction with North Carolina police during a traffic stop in May 2019. May 11, 2021 | Criminal Justice Reform, Emancipate NC News, Policing. WebBlack librarian Stephanie Bottom pulled by hair, injured by police in Salisbury, North Carolina, lawsuit says. Bottom informed the outlet that her injuries kept her from working for eight months, resulting in a loss of wages. But officers approached her vehicle with guns drawn and later violated her rights by using excessive force, the lawsuit said. WebStunningly Stephanie is a professional Logistics and Consulting business that supports federal, state and local government, private, for-profit and non-profit organizations. Johnston County Schools phase in weapons detection system, Duke Energy Carolinas seeks large rate increases for gas costs, Police salaries not helping fix staffing shortage challenges, Artemis Moshtaghian, Melissa Alonso and Amanda Jackson. A Warner Bros. I was shaking in fear, Bottom said in an interview with the Charlotte Observer. As officers search the car - which Bottom alleges she did not consent to - one explains that three police cars have been following her for around 10 miles, which Bottom agreed with, as officers explain how she was speeding. We've been following you for about 10 miles, an officer responds. Stephanie F. Newby is a Neurologist in Charlotte, NC. I was just driving. WebYou can view 1 entry, complete with personal details, location history, phone numbers, relatives and locations for Stephanie Love. Police pull Black woman by hair, injure her shoulder in traffic stop. The officers were attempting to conduct a traffic stop, as Bottom was allegedly driving 80 mph in a 70-mph zone. Body cam footage shows that in a matter of a few seconds, Bottom appears to be taken out of the car by force and pinned to the ground, with her face down and officers pushing on her arm. They have also lived in Willow Spring, NC and Raleigh, NC. Emancipate NC attorney Ian Mance and Emancipate NC client Stephanie Bottom are featured in a new CNN documentary: CNN Special Report- Traffic Stop: Dangerous Encounters. The then-66-year-old librarian from Fulton County, Georgia, was listening to music and didn't initially see the flashing blue lights coming from the police vehicle behind her, Holmes said. An elderly black librarian was viciously yanked out of her car by her hair by a white officer and held at gunpoint during a traffic stop in North Carolina, newly released bodycam footage shows. She is now suing the police officers who were involved in her arrest, Bottom complains repeatedly during the arrest about the cops hurting her, 'Ms. (Hicks, Samantha), CASE REFERRED to Mediation pursuant to Local Rule 83.9b of the Rules of Practice and Procedure of this Court. Officers issued Bottom a summons, charging her with speeding failure to heed blue lights, and resisting, delaying, and obstructing an officer for allegedly refusing to get out of her vehicle and pulling away from the officer, according to the lawsuit. WebFOR THE MIDDLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA Civil Action No. 8. Another officer involved in the traffic stop, only identified as Officer Smith, pulled ahead of Bottom and deployed spike strips that immediately immobilized her vehicle, the lawsuit says. Lawsuit to be filed against police after Calif. man dies while being restrained by police. CNN has reached out to Rowan County Sheriff's Department for comment but has not yet heard back. The then-66-year-old librarian from Fulton County, Georgia, was listening to music and didn't initially see the flashing blue lights coming from the police vehicle behind her, Holmes said. 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